


light lab logs

by Svirdilu



Category: Mega Man (Ruby-Spears Cartoon), Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-23
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-01-02 09:47:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1055334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Svirdilu/pseuds/Svirdilu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Proto Man gets captured by the enemy. He deals with it by stealing a video camera.</p>
            </blockquote>





	light lab logs

**Author's Note:**

> I intently researched 80s video cameras for this and then decided I was being silly and just got on with writing it. Slowly. |D  
> I feel really rusty so I'm just going to apologize ahead of time for any awkward phrasings and other errors I missed while proofreading. ;;

The video's fuzzy - Dr. Light generally has the best of the best technology, but this camera is an old one, presumably just found lying around the house. Proto Man hasn't been able to get anything else that won't be missed. Doesn't matter, anyway.

"Proto Man to Wily. Reporting."

The robot doesn't have armour on. Not even his helmet – his artificial hair is free for the first time in ages, and he feels lucky they gave him shades. He keeps shifting self-consciously, not at all close to comfortable in a _human_ shirt and _human_ jacket and _human_ pants. Worse, these probably belonged to Mega Man – or rather, Rock, when he _was_ Rock. Realizing this gave Proto a horrible mix of feelings, simultaneously a furious burning anger and the want to shrink in on himself more.

"My weapons systems have been disabled, and I think there's a tracker planted on me. I've tried to escape a few times already and each time I get apprehended. And then they install measures to make sure I can't do it that way again. I've -” there's a marginal pause, as if he's confessing something shameful, “- stopped trying for now, until I can figure something better out or you come get me. There's no point this way.”

He leans in to the recorder a bit, his next words in a hissing whisper rather than just a quiet tone. “I can't get into the labs yet, they're really careful to keep the doors locked and I can't get past them without my plasma cannon. I'll be keeping an eye out, though. ...in a manner of speaking. Won't be much use for a while even if I do get in.”

Proto taps the side of the shades with one finger, smiling bitterly and returning to his normal volume. “I'm blinded, see. My visor got cracked during that fight and they wouldn't let me have my helmet whether it survived or not. Doctor Light wanted to 'fix' my eyes,” the sarcasm around the word 'fix' is so obvious it's almost palpable, “- but I'm not letting him near me while I'm shut down again. I don't know why he didn't take the time to wipe my self-determination and I'm not going to risk him deciding to now, they'll have to beat me down to scrap metal first.” A visible shudder runs down his spine. “ _Apparently_ he can't whip up another visor without looking at my eyes first either, so I'd rather be blinded. I'll learn to deal while I'm here. ...hell, I'm already learning to deal, slowly, as long as I'm somewhere I've been before and mapped out in my head. It just makes the trying to escape sort of hard.”

Proto winds his fingers through his scarf for a few moments, trying to figure out what else to say. The scarf is, at least, something familiar – cleaner than it usually is, but _familiar_. There's a story behind that too - Roll started to make disgusted noises about it somewhere after his third escape attempt and stole it by taking advantage of his blindness, then returned it not long after by shoving it violently into his face; apparently she liked him in the Light home about as much as he did.

His mouth twists and he starts laughing, almost silently, useless optics clenched shut behind the shades. It's not a happy laugh. “This is stupid. There's no way I'm going to be able to get this to you, I'm just talking uselessly to a screen because I feel bored and tired and lo...” Proto shakes his head once, shoulders drawing in and hands clutching at the bright yellow scarf. The word he was about to say isn't exactly the one he's looking for, and he has no idea what brought him to even starting to say it. Being stuck here is really driving him nuts.

“Whatever. I'll spy as much as I can so I have something useful when you get me back. You better think of something soon though, Doc. Proto Man out.”

There's some fumbling as Proto takes several attempts to finally find the button on the recorder without sight, then video snaps off.

\---

The next video, Proto Man segues straight into talking, not bothering with formalities. It's obvious he really is doing this because he doesn't have something better to do, needs a way to vent. Pretending he's talking to Wily makes it easier, somehow.

“You know Mega Man and Roll take actual _showers_ to get clean? Light doesn't have anything like the robot wash at the Fortress, and they don't use cleaning fluid either, they use _water_. I know all our designs are waterproof and it does work, but it doesn't make _sense_.”

He's on the floor this time instead of sitting against a wall, lying on his stomach and propping up his chin with both arms. It's difficult to tell how long it's been – he looks a bit less like wearing something other than his armour is making him want to crawl out of his skin, but there's no other indication of time passing.

“He's trying too hard to make them human beings. You'd find it hilarious if you were here, they've got actual beds and piles of human clothes, and they have to have mealtimes and bedtimes instead of just recharging when they need it. I bet Light would've built 'em to be fueled on human food and breathe and _grow_ hair and everything if he could go back and redo it.

“They've been trying to drag me into it, too, but I'm not going anywhere. Light isn't stingy with his energy cans, he can afford as many as he wants, and I've rebooted myself a few times when I was sure I was safe, so I'll survive without rest. Everything else I'm just gonna avoid flat out. I'm not pretending to be one of his _children_.” It's making him worn out, even with energy it's a good idea to 'sleep' for a while to process thoughts, but the reboots take care of the worst problems, and it's not safe to sleep. No guarantee Doctor Light won't reprogram him then.

There's a sudden noise from out of the camera's range, and Proto Man jerks, pushing himself up to his knees and grappling for the recorder. The screen goes almost fully dark as he clutches it to his chest, shielded by a yellow tint – probably his scarf.

He pauses while he tries to figure out who it is - then guesses blindly, judging by footsteps and the fact that Roll would be shouting by now. “What do you want, _bro._ ”

It's a venomous statement, much more so than any time before, even the times they've nearly killed each other. There's an awkward silence, and then Mega, identifiable only by his voice, mumbles, “Dr. Light wanted me to check on you.”

“Well, obviously, I'm _fine._ Except for, oh, you know, being blind and weaponless and under house arrest in a place fifty times smaller than Skull Fortress – but besides _that,_ I'm totally fine.”

Mega doesn't say anything for long seconds. Once or twice there's an intake of air as if he's about to speak, but then he seems to think better of it, and footsteps slowly recede away. The portion of scarf over the video camera's microphone shifts, scratching over the audio - probably Proto Man's shoulders slumping in relief just before he pulls the thing away from himself, setting it down on the floor again.

Proto has to run his fingers over the lens to figure out where to position it so he's close to centered on the screen again, and then he huffs, blowing hair away from the front of his shades in what, on second glance, looks more like a sigh. “At least _he_ still calls me by my real name. Light won't stop calling me Blues, and I _hate_ it. I'm not one of his weakling Light 'bots, I'm a _Wily_ 'bot. Doesn't matter where my plans came from. It's a dumb name anyway, I bet he made it up just now to fit in with his music _theme_.” He flicks his fingers through the air sarcastically, spreading his hands and rolling his head back as if to emphasize just how _clever_ Light is.

There's more silence, Proto staring unflinchingly at the recorder. Then, abruptly, he confesses, “The longer I stay here, the more I feel like a damn _copy._ Didn't realize just how many habits me and Mega had in common until now, and Light... _Rush_ keeps trying to come cuddle up to me, idiot mutt. Roll's the only one who doesn't act like I didn't get absorbed into their little picture perfect family, the others just _give me room_ ,” and if his scorn a minute ago wasn't obvious enough, this is a glaring neon sign made of words, “- as if I'm going to _change my mind_ and suddenly start being Mega Man version two-point-oh.”

Under his breath, he adds, “...starting to regret ever calling him brother, honestly.”

Left unspoken is the fact that it's been too long – him and Rock being brothers isn't something that can be taken back anymore.

That seems to be it, all he's going to talk about now, as he reaches forward and the screen goes dark.

\---

Proto is sneering. There can honestly be no other word for the expression on his face.

“So, Doc, would you happen to know how to get rid of an annoying sibling? Wouldn't even mind a more permanent way; I'm starting to see your point there. Sure you'd be happy to hear that with how long you've complained that the only reason he hasn't been blasted to bits is because of me.”

Half a minute passes before he slumps forward with a frustrated noise, ending up with the top half of his face out of the camera's range. He doesn't notice.

“Wish he was back to leaving me alone to ' _think_ and _recover_.' Now he's trying to be _useful_ and it's like Crash Man trying to hold a glass cup. He keeps moving things to make it 'easier' for me to reach them, and all that does is move them out of the pattern I've recognized and make me lose track of them. And whenever I knock into them it just makes him think he needs to help _more_.”

He sounds like he's rolling his eyes. “The least I can say is he's stopped trying to lead me around by the arm, when I snapped at him enough times. Would've been more useful the first day or two, _bro._ Moron. Not that I'd have taken _his_ help, anyway. And then he goes around all pitying, asking me if I need anything when I just want him to _go._ ”

Proto settles back, leaning against the back of the couch he's sitting on and fully visible again. His arms are crossed, fingers tapping against his left arm, where his cannon used to be. It'd taken him days to get used to their new weight, without his weapons systems – he'd moved his arms with far too much force. He doubted anyone had noticed – probably they'd just assumed it was because of his new _handicap._ Which Mega was now trying to take advantage of to get closer to him. “If I could do more than taunt...”

Proto's tapping fingers pause, digging into his arm. Then he lets out another angry huff, stretching this one out, making his emotions balance. Need to present an unaffected front, after all.

“Might see what painful things I can do without my blaster if it keeps happening,” he says, almost conversationally, “I'm sure I can cause _some_ damage,” - then stops the recording.

\---

The video following doesn't open on Proto's face like usual. Instead, there's an inquisitive green cat face peering at the screen, the feline reaching out to bat at the video camera gingerly with a mechanical paw.

The robot cat is pulled back before it can do any damage, and it meows in protest until the action ends with it scooped up into someone's arms. There it petulantly lashes its tail, still staring at the recorder and only slowly settling down, until the same someone starts stroking its ears – upon which it immediately melts and starts to let out a light, rumbling purr.

Proto Man, for one, looks marginally happier than last time. Maybe even a bit more than marginally. “Hey, Doc, I'd like to introduce you to Tango. I'm considering taking her along with me once I finally get to return to Skull Fortress; what d'you think?”

Tango rubs her head up against Proto's hand, seemingly unconcerned by any discussion of impending kidnappings. It could easily be her not understanding the words, but the impression she gives off is far more the usual cat one of just not caring at all. As long as Proto keeps scratching just behind her ear, she's not moving, possible abductions be damned.

“Light dumped her out of the lab two days ago, right on top of me – I think he's decided to get into cats, to match Rush. Which almost makes us one of a kind, eh girl? Another prototype he wasn't happy with and decided to get rid of; just need the Doc to rebuild you a bit bigger and give you a blaster, make you a Wily 'bot, and we'll be a matching duo.” The accusations aimed at Doctor Light are tempered by the joking tone – Proto honestly doesn't care about what he's saying. For him, it's only a jest.

Tango, though opens one eye and folds down the ear on the same side, letting out a small, distressed sound. Proto winces, head making a small motion to the screen before he returns his attention to Tango with a shrug. “...I didn't mean that, sorry. I'm sure Doctor Light just got distracted by something else.”

The twist of his mouth as he starts talking to the representation of Wily again betrays otherwise – he's not _close_ to sure. Dr. Light doesn't inspire nearly that much confidence. It slides into a smirk moments later – well, let Dr. Light throw away more 'bots not up to his standards, his loss. He'll come crying to them to come back once they're not his anymore, like he did with Proto.

“Tango here's been really helpful. They're finally letting me step outside the house s'long as I don't wander too far – still get jumped if I get more than half a mile away – and she's letting me know where it's safe to walk until I work it out myself. ... and she doesn't try to _drag_ me around, like certain _blue dweebs._ ”

He looks like he's about to say something else, but this is conveniently the moment that Tango once again becomes restless, twisting to nip at Proto's scarf. The humanoid robot jerks at the pull and makes an angry noise. “Hey hey, what've I said about touching -”

Tango beeps – her vocal files not entirely done, but it still sounds mischievous – and bounds out of Proto's arms, knocking over the video camera, which flips over to face a tabletop. There's some commotion, though the sound is muffled, and the video goes on for a minute or two uselessly until someone – probably Proto, remembering – shuts it off.

\---

“Light asked me to help him out in the lab today, while Mega was gone – I bet that was 'cause of you, right Doc?”

Tango's with Proto Man again, this time sitting a bit more placidly on his shoulder. She's not as interested in the camera as before, thankfully; instead, her tail twitches as she stares out a window at a bird fluttering back and forth.

Proto's remaining upright in concession to this, but his troubled expression suggests that he really wants to lean forward and bury his hands in his hair. “I said no. Didn't feel right, you know? Barely every helped you out when you were busy building up something for a new scheme, and helping Light would just be... _weird._ Besides, wasn't like I was going to be part of giving Mega a leg up to take you down. But now I'm wondering if I should've agreed.”

He shrugs his free shoulder. “Probably could've screwed up _something_ in there to interfere with 'em. Or spied on 'em better – they've been careful not to tell me anything important so far, but it's harder to keep stuff from slipping out when you're distracted and busy.”

He stares in the direction of the screen as if he thinks it'll give him an answer – or maybe he's lost in thought and staring off into the distance instead. There's no way to tell with his eyes shielded, and it doesn't matter with them out of commission. Either way, he doesn't move until Tango bops his noise with her tail and he's forced to swat it away.

It doesn't take long after that for Proto to nod decisively, though. “Don't know if he'll ask again, but if he does, I'll go along with him. Listening to _Light_ isn't going to be fun,” he grimaces, and whether it's an exaggeration or not is... difficult to tell, “But it's better than sitting around, rusting away, while you get enough stuff to stage a good assault on here. Doubt they'll spill anything really interesting anytime soon, and if they trust me after that time I pretended to switch sides they're idiots, but you never know. Light might be almost as much of a genius as you, but he's never really been _smart,_ if you know what I mean.” He sniggers. “And Mega's far too gullible for his own good.”

Any other time, there might've been a hint of regret in his tone when he talked about that faked change of heart – but the reason he's staying here is still too raw for that. And it will be as long as he's in captivity. Proto hates feeling helpless, it makes him furious, and any reminders of brotherhood right now aren't going to be well recieved.

“Maybe Light'll think he can talk freely even if he doesn't trust me, since I'm not getting out of here and all -”

He pauses, stumbling over the sarcasm. Suddenly, he looks a bit sick – he's never even considered the possibility that he might not ever be leaving. No, that's stupid, of _course_ he'll be leaving, but – the idea of Wily _not_ being able to get him out, or giving up on him, or anything -

“R-right,” he says shakily, “I'm going to – go take a walk, maybe I'll find something -” then reaches towards the off button, nearly dislodging a protesting Tango. The screen flickers off.

\---

 _A few videos after this one seem to be corrupted, glitching from distorted frame to distorted frame and letting out twisted static instead of words. The watcher, who's been mostly silent until now, hisses in annoyance, skipping forward a few times. And then a few more. She'd_ worried _about the data being damaged, and now this worry is confirmed, but she's not happy about it._

_It's dark, glow of the video camera's tiny screen lighting up her frame. A triumphant grin stretches over her face when another video actually does play – she was just about to start worrying that the rest of this was entirely gone._

\---

“So.”

Proto seems – embarrassed? It's not the hostile shame of previous videos, exactly, though there's definitely more than a hint of some kind of shame.

“I – you probably saw that news thing by now, right?” A reporter coming in to interview Light and spotting 'Blues' in the corner. The world knew Proto Man had been captured, but nobody had any idea he'd sunk so low as _helping_ _his creator's worst enemy in the lab,_ and the girl, Kalina or Calikka or something like that, had jumped at the opportunity, almost literally. And as soon as he couldn't stand her pestering any more and had snapped something back, he'd been fair game for being shouted into submission.

It – hadn't actually been shouting. But she hadn't let him get a word in with accusations and derogatory questions, and he was out of sorts with being discovered working with Light, and she'd _crushed_ him _._ Left him stammering and without a defense until Light had intervened. Proto bet she'd _loved_ humiliating him, and the 'viewers at home' would love watching it just as much – scrapped-together _bastards,_ the lot of them. Not that he cared what names she called him for being a Wily 'bot, he'd heard it all before and taken it as a compliment, but the rest of it...

He wished he hadn't decided to help Light now, no matter what little tidbits of information and leniency he'd picked up because of it. He should have known it lasting two months without spilling to the outside world was pushing it really close. Quit while he was ahead.

“I guess the spotlight isn't as fun when you're not the one in control.” It's a bitter realization for him. Playing up to the cameras was one of the more enjoyable bits of being around Wily, and even the time he faked being on Mega's side was fun – pulling wool over the whole world's eyes, terrifying, exhilarating. Not that he'd admit the terrifying – wasn't like he couldn't handle what the world sent at him, just the threat of being discovered -

Pfft. Well, he'd been captured by Mega and stuck in Light's home for months. Where Light's offer to help in the lab might have been more out of pity than any actual need, he's not much help blind. Obviously he actually can't handle what the world sends at him, useless _pile of circuits_ that he is -

Proto shakes his head angrily. His thoughts have been fluctuating back and forth from things like that far too often for him to like it, recently.

“I tried, Wily, I swear.” He's not sure what he's talking about for a moment – wonders if he means his 'betrayal' working for Light, facade or not, but then pulls himself out of it. “I just, I don't know, I blanked out, suddenly couldn't even remember words -”

His mouth twists into a scowl, teeth bared as if he's snarling. “ _Damn_ it, and now I can, but it's too late for comebacks, isn't it? Fucking _reporters,_ goddamn _Light,_ putting me into this situation, _fuck -”_ His fingers dig into the video camera, and there's a cracking noise – nothing important broken, the video doesn't even jump, but it snaps him out of it. He loosens his grip, slumping.

“Shit. I've just been a disappointment to you since I had to take charge then, haven't I? Thought I was doing so well, and then I got myself caught even if I got you out, and then I was blind and _useless_ and now I'm – wish I could actually send you a message somehow, _swear_ I'm not actually meaning to help Light...”

His rambling, tired voice fades out, and he reaches up to rub his eyes, shades pushing up to his forehead. He ends up just – staying in that position, shoulders drooped and elbow balanced on his knees. Under his breath, he mutters, “Didn't mean to freak out like that. Guess I should be glad _this_ isn't a message I'm sending to you...”

A minute and a half of silence later, a concerned Tango pads around the corner. Proto can hear her, probably, but he doesn't move, and she observes him for another minute before nudging her way between his arm and chest.

“Hey, girl,” Proto manages, moving his hand to stroke her back and letting his shades drop back into place. Tango purrs encouragingly, then tries to push him upwards from his sitting position – an entirely futile task, with her size. Proto doesn't seem to mind, though. “Yeah, yeah, I should go get some energy, just gimme a sec.”

Proto picks up the camera, a glint of light reflecting off his shades into the lens as he stands. Then there's a click and the feed is gone.

\---

_The watcher bites her lip, not moving on just yet. Proto had – seemed the same in front of the few people he encountered, back then, brushed off the whole thing and made scathing jokes about it. Light had apologized for letting it happen, Proto had snapped something sarcastic back in return, and life had returned to normal. Apparently, though -_

_She almost regrets her taunts. Not really, he deserved them, but almost..._

_She flicks pensively through the next few videos, watching them intently – and they do seem normal again, if the time gap until the next is a bit large. But something's slightly different about all of them, after that, even while the watcher shakes her head and decides that she's not going through this to learn about Proto's_ feelings, _resuming her original intensity._

_And then one stops her in her tracks._

_\---_

Proto looks shaken again – the hand that isn't holding up the camera is wrapped in a corner of his jacket, and his fingers keeps clenching and unclenching their grip in the fabric. He also – appears to be hiding. Since the first two videos, he's at least been sitting on a couch or the corner of a bed or sometimes even outside for all of them, but now... he's pushed himself between a cabinet and a wall, barely enough room to even partially unfold his legs.

“Doc, I'm going nuts. I -”

He stops, swallows nervously. He's not sure he wants to talk about this to a Wily, pretended or not; not sure he wants to talk about it at all, but at the same time he really needs to. It's – a camera, just a camera, and that's as easy to remember as ever what with no responses, but – it's also Wily, in a way. And he's been pretending Wily would be just as understanding as Light would be, so far – there's part of the problem, since when has _Light_ been understanding? But it's hard to suspend disbelief now – he's absolutely sure Wily would see it as treachery.

He doesn't have any other outlet. Tango, okay, but Tango still considers herself a Light 'bot, she'd just be happy about it, encourage him. No way he's going to talk to Mega or Light, they'd be even _worse,_ and Roll's never been sympathetic, she'd just laugh.

“Light had some of his 'bots I've seen before come in for repairs today. I've fixed them before, they'd get patched up whether or not it was me who did it and they started to tell me stuff after one or two times – but today they started joking around and I. I didn't even realize until I was joining in, it felt just like Skull Fortress – _fuck._ ”

He reaches up to tug at his hair angrily with both hands, camera sliding down his arm on its strap, offering a blurry, swinging view of the wall. It's caught after two or three sways, Proto pulling it off his arm to balance it at a slant between the floor and the wall. It's not a very careful slant, might tip over at any moment, but he's got other things to worry about now.

“I've been _responding_ to being called Blues the past few weeks – when I'm not paying attention, but – it was always a red flag before, I knew Light was talking about me but I wouldn't do anything until he said my actual name, and now I'm missing it when I'm distracted and reacting to it – I didn't mention it before because I thought it was a fluke but it's been getting worse -”

He forces himself to stop, collect himself and keep from speaking in broken up fragments. He still fidgets – lacing his hands together to keep them from pulling on his hair or clothes, but separating them into two fists at his side soon after.

Calmer, he continues, more mechanically, “It's getting so that I actually feel happy when Light says I've done something well. I _hate_ that, but if this keeps up, soon I'll probably _stop_ hating it  _-_ ”

His voice breaks, and he lifts a hand, punching the cabinet viciously. Almost punching. He slows his blow just before it hits; the noise that results is more a dull _clink_ than a loud _clang!_

“I'm losing my mind, Doc, I need to get out of here. I can't even try to run anymore, everyone's too used to me, I'm always surrounded and if I'm not – I've got an actual _routine_ by now, if I break it they'll know something's wrong and come looking for me -”

Besides, those alarms for when he strays too far from the house and lab haven't been lifted. Trust him more now they might, but not _that_ much, even while he slips further and further into becoming one of the Light 'bots. He's going to end up a hopeless goody-goody like Mega, and _those_ words, too, don't sound as caustic as before in his head.

There's a choked laugh, before he whispers, hoarsely - “Come get me soon. _Please._ ”

\---

_The watcher tries to continue to the next video, with stilted, urgent movements of her fingers, but that's it – this is the last one. Something she probably could have guessed by the date marked on it. She stays tensed in the same position, arms holding the camera above her head, before rewinding and watching this last one one more time; then she hisses out a curse - “Damn! Nothing useful.”_

_The camera is dropped onto her stomach, Roll covering her eyes with one arm as she thinks. Proto's long gone, after seven months of staying here – just in time for him, judging by his state. Not that she_ cares, _and she wouldn't if Mega hadn't been captured with him. She hoped –_ something _would have fallen out about Skull Fortress, the same way he'd kept yammering on about spying on_ them. _Or maybe a hint of something he'd thought of using, when they'd stolen Mega; but then, it had all been one raid, it'd have been Wily who'd have planned that. At least she's confirmed that Proto really_ hadn't _had any contact with Wily, not until the end._

_Roll feels as if – she did something wrong, watching these. They felt private, doubly so since Proto had been careful never to express even unease in front of others. But – this is Proto. He deserves it._

_She sighs, clicking the thing off and rolling onto her side, then reaches under her bed, silently slipping the camera into the mess below – no one but her dares dig around in there, so it probably won't be found._

_Tomorrow she's back for covering for Mega again. Fighting against Wily, being visibly a hero - something she'd have dreamed about in any other scenario – but Mega being gone for it isn't something she wanted. Light hadn't been happy about letting her out, with two of his sons suddenly lost to him, but he'd had no choice. No one else stepped up to protect against Wily's schemes._

_And tomorrow's also another try at finding a way to get her brother back, if Wily doesn't have something planned. She'd better get some rest._


End file.
